Ethical Data Science
Data Science / ML / AI applications:
Other professions have strict codes of conduct and are legally liable for the outcomes of their work:
Do No Harm:
Doctors around the world swear a version of the Hippocratic oath, originating in 400BCE, which introduced the principles of medical confidentiality and non-maleficence.
Corporate Oaths:
Google’s original internal code of conduct started with the phrase ‘Don’t be evil’. This was later rephrased to ‘You can make money without being evil’.
Neither obvious or easy:
Membership of a professional body can give accountability and support.
Currently no professional body dedicated to data science: RSS, OR Society, SIAM.
Data Science is still in it’s adolescence:
Being associated with a professional body can help to:
We must remain alert to the potential dangers posed by our work.
Effective Data Science: Ethics - Codes of Conduct - Zak Varty